Should I be allowed to make my own decisions?

    A city without cars would be very strange, right? But Venice is such a city.

    Venice is in the northeast of Italy. It isn't built on land, like Beijing or Shanghai, but on more than 110 islands. Seawater is everywhere around the city.

    Even so, travel isn't difficult. The waterways have always been the best way to get around. There are 117 waterways and more than 400 bridges that can lead you where you want to go.

    People in Venice move from place to place by boat. They like to enjoy cool summer nights while taking boat trips. They can talk to other people as they go along.

    Venice grew out of small islands in saltwater lakes when some Italians escaped(逃跑)from a war more than 1,500 years ago, and built homes there.

    Water makes the city special, but it is also a big problem.

    Once, people used too much underground water. This made the city get lower, little by little. Now the city has gone down by 23 centimetres.

    Another problem is the rising seawater. The temperature has risen over the years. This has made arctic(北极的)ice melt.

    Scientists are trying different ways to stop the city from getting even lower.

    Canada is the second-largest country in the world, with almost 10 million square kilometres of landmass. Due to (由于) its size, it is divided into four different regions(地区).

    The Atlantic Provinces

    Fishing is the old industry in this region. Agricultural crops, such as fruit and potatoes, and forests, which produce paper and lumber(木材), form part of the industry. Traditionally depending on fishing and farming, they are developing other natural resources, such as oil and copper.

    Central Canada

    Ontario and Quebec form the industrial and manufacturing (制造业的) heart of Canada. They produce three quarters of Canada's goods. More than half of Canada's population lives in the cities in the southern part of Ontario and Quebec. Most of the people living in Quebec speak French.

    The West Coast

    The British Columbia Coast is Canada's western continental coastline (海 岸 线 ). Europeans settled (定 居 ) in British Columbia in the early 1800s. The railroad built by the government in the late 1800s made moving much easier. Thousands of Chinese came to British Columbia during this period to work on the railroad. British Columbia has the most valuable forest industry in Canada.

Salmon (鲑鱼) fishing is not only a popular sport, but also an important part of the industry. Pacific salmon are exported (出口) all over the world.

    The North

    The Yukon and the Northwest Territories (领土) cover a third of Canada. This huge region has a very small population. Most of the people are natives. There are several native languages, which are equal (平等的) in status (地位) to English and French. During the Gold Rush at the end of the 1800s, thousands of miners (矿工) came to make their fortune (财富). Mining is still an important industry in this region.

Mothers are the closest persons to us, but most of us always talk back to them or even fight with them. When we do something wrong, they will be  1 . If you said bad words to your mother, it is time to say sorry to her. Here is some  2  for you.

A meaningful face-to-face sorry is the best way. You can say sorry to her when you calm (镇静) down. And you should3 that you'll never do that again.

Write a letter of apology (道歉) to your mom. Maybe it's the second time for you to do this. Don't worry. Just tell her4 sorry you are. A letter works well almost every time.

Make a5 about some photos of you and your mom. After watching this, she will think of the happy time you spent together. Then she will forgive you and won't be angry with you.

What makes smartphones fun and useful? There are many apps that you can use for work and play. Check out some of them here. 

How to be Outgoing

If（如果）you think you are too shy and want to be a little outgoing, try the following. You can make it.

{#blank#}1{#/blank#} There's no need to hide it. When they get to know you are a shy kid, they'll understand you better. This also helps you feel more comfortable when talking with others.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Smile to others so they will think you are friendly and easy to talk to. Remember that other people have feelings too and most people will stay away from an angry-looking face.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Try to start a conversation. If you find it hard to do so, say something nice about people around you. Think about how great you feel when someone says something nice to you. Doesn't it make you want to keep talking to those people?

{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Don't waste time worrying about your looks or if people like you. Think more about ways to enjoy the party or the game.

Keep trying and one day you won't be "shy" anymore when you talk to others.

What will you do if you want to be outgoing?（不超过20个单词）{#blank#}5{#/blank#}